![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/251f95ab-e11f-462d-9135-0dc39bb74d15_rw_1920.jpg?h=51b1b9cef6a2a8be63de7a64c8a0f282)
FREE THE BEARS SANCTUARY
Status: Completed
Location: Cat Tien, Vietnam
Year: 2018
Client: Free the Bears
Architects: Atelier Cole, Elettra Melani
Scope of service: Concept design, Design development, construction drawings
Location: Cat Tien, Vietnam
Year: 2018
Client: Free the Bears
Architects: Atelier Cole, Elettra Melani
Scope of service: Concept design, Design development, construction drawings
![THE ENTRANCE TO THE BEAR HOUSE](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/a262c5fe-70a9-4a56-8a1a-7d060e767916_rw_1920.jpg?h=841c2ddcdd4f36ed99686c541f188d7e)
THE ENTRANCE TO THE BEAR HOUSE
![VIEW ON THE BEAR HOUSE](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/f539fe61-406f-4301-a0d8-377e907c9f04_rw_1920.jpg?h=1d79c32ed48533d5a253ad79022da1af)
VIEW ON THE BEAR HOUSE
This project, developed in a collaboration with Cát Tiên National Park, Free the Bears and Building Trust International, is a series of buildings serving to house bears rescued from the illegal wildlife trade and bear bile industry. The result is a modular, light filled, gabion structure aiming to fuse nature and functionality.
![3D DIAGRAM OF THE STRUCTURE](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/4730a5f8-b856-40ff-ad20-1af855e262dc_rw_1920.jpg?h=beb72852bdd1a8880e0eb24451022830)
3D DIAGRAM OF THE STRUCTURE
![ELEVATION](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/fae81dd8-2e10-4db4-987b-df2fe3fe672b_rw_3840.jpg?h=6b0c456390de03a0fba86b58bbcd8ac4)
ELEVATION
The Bear Sanctuary presented two major challenges. The site was on the other side of a river meaning supplies had to be ferried across. Furthermore another challenge was that the site is next to a heavily forested jungle hill, in one of Vietnam’s largest national parks.
The project called for an affordable, easily replicable design that could be adapted to fit the mountain’s contours and respond to the site constraints. There was also a strong desire to make the project as environmentally sustainable as possible due to the location and the client being a wildlife conservation organisation.
To reduce concrete usage, we started developing wall ideas. There were particular parameters, such as it being necessary to keep the steel mesh and concrete finish inside the dens, as it is easy to clean and prevents infection. We took the mesh and used it to create gabion walls with high thermal mass. The inside could be rendered and the outside untreated to give a natural colour found on-site. The mesh sheet sizes which were available led to a modular design.
We utilized a steel frame to support a green roof and built bear houses with internal courtyards giving ample space for trees providing a food source for the bears.
![KEEPER CORRIDOR](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/c031a239-0974-4445-8974-37d6d58bd7b6_rw_1920.jpg?h=70f3b7dfedb888d3bc6df6bc7ee22de4)
KEEPER CORRIDOR
The buildings are orientated east to west to reduce overheating. The gabion walls stop 1m from the roof line allowing for good cross ventilation. The roof cut-outs allow high levels of natural light into the dens providing additional comfort for the bears. The intention is that over time the plants will flourish and the green roof will grow down over the roof allowing the form to blend in with the forest.
Together with Free the Bear's keepers and managers, we created a masterplan for a bear sanctuary featuring six bear houses with forest enclosures, an education centre, hospital, quarantine and administration buildings. An organised and planned designed also helped FTB to seek funding for the sanctuary in a logical manner.
With over 40 Sun bears and Moon bears on site, the task of creating a practical, functioning sanctuary that is environmentally-conscious and with aesthetic qualities was no small feat. The finished product means faster build times, appealing buildings and reduced costs; all of which goes a long way to providing the best of care and a second chance for these victims of the cruel bear bile trade
PROJECT GALLERY
![THE BEAR HOUSE FROM OUTSIDE](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/5ed199fa-06da-4216-8492-0c698e0fb301_rw_1920.jpg?h=b86fdc5b6ca31febf5838b52a9952b7d)
THE BEAR HOUSE FROM OUTSIDE
![ENTRANCE TO THE BEAR HOUSE](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/ef21013f-6eeb-4de7-a846-9237244137a5_rw_1920.jpg?h=0c52073c3aef8edecc5bfd6b2163266c)
ENTRANCE TO THE BEAR HOUSE
![ENTRANCE TO THE BEAR HOUSE](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/b787036d-d605-4a91-a25a-13b0e48ff74a_rw_1920.jpg?h=4e6621697bceee59abb637c6af9c005d)
ENTRANCE TO THE BEAR HOUSE
![DRAWINGS](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/0897d53b-3f0c-42cd-9b2a-f3967d68d97d_rw_1920.jpg?h=f0aba8cc013f5c7f7669df486cb89545)
DRAWINGS
![DRAWINGS](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/bef87032-f834-4557-8a09-19d57d08d6bb_rw_1920.jpg?h=c6134ce7b9237bb4b87948985b33f0c2)
DRAWINGS
![DURING CONSTRUCTION](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/6962f4e2-c187-445f-9b99-de2acf7285bc_rw_1920.jpg?h=027fcb284026f0c228c7f1981b9bffab)
DURING CONSTRUCTION
![ENTRANCE TO THE BEAR HOUSE](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/22d4414d-5b43-42d7-a7ef-b4dabb5084c9_rw_1920.jpg?h=a5979a47a0b49ed531b057f80ed8b9d5)
ENTRANCE TO THE BEAR HOUSE
![GABION WALL](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/ef9dd270-12e4-4f2c-84c5-b36a6b97c164_rw_1920.jpg?h=79137136ccec67e5fa725eec9aa13178)
GABION WALL
![THE BEARHOUSE](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/8ca46890-8322-4f6d-92bd-a627b04f9c37_rw_1920.jpg?h=08c93f08db2cd2ec526380c5c547c200)
THE BEARHOUSE
![DRAWING](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/11113a85-019b-4090-9757-adc70699ab38_rw_1920.jpg?h=575d7be850b0ef7bbd5027154dcf4c36)
DRAWING
![GABION WALL](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/075619df-5c9a-47d8-bb08-98a0b673ffaa_rw_1920.jpg?h=aa2c7e0546e8cb97cd851cf97cc5da93)
GABION WALL
![KEEPER CORRIDOR](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/9fad10de-ae0e-401c-88bf-2be13d0a71b6_rw_1920.jpg?h=a5587c537c371fe722599df21e5d0417)
KEEPER CORRIDOR
![GABION WALL](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/5f0ae135-739b-426e-9da3-1f1f9139f0be_rw_1920.jpg?h=4ba13fadbc89208c31e8bc831a787206)
GABION WALL
![DURING CONSTRUCTION](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/999d631e-422e-4284-be6c-2dabe67ff091_rw_1200.jpg?h=543ad082a0c3f43b3e01e8c69da3056d)
DURING CONSTRUCTION
![DURING CONSTRUCTION](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/106a9a5f-877b-49b9-bb36-d5afead3068f_rw_1920.jpg?h=7388f969c3a10e506f900b9d6b091c61)
DURING CONSTRUCTION
![KEEPER CORRIDOR](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/b424b2b1-f9b6-4ddb-bca2-0c50b72aca4f_rw_1920.jpg?h=ddfecaddb8ac5cfe8318345e95289d70)
KEEPER CORRIDOR
![KEEPER CORRIDOR](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/75abec12-b055-4064-acc9-5970dba1dfc2_rw_1920.jpg?h=f60fb770faa8ee1578536f4a3e34f047)
KEEPER CORRIDOR
![DETAIL OF A WATER PIPE EMBEDED IN THE GABION WALL](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/4fb1451e-f4b8-45d6-813a-4067ddd61d0f_rw_1200.jpg?h=25103e2055a136d1df6cd3778f2e95a3)
DETAIL OF A WATER PIPE EMBEDED IN THE GABION WALL
![BIRD VIEW ON THE BEAR HOUSE](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/0332b9e8-f01d-44a5-89dd-9ebc0a5361fd_rw_1920.jpg?h=f1d412c73b5a8fe5441ce3f2abb91ee1)
BIRD VIEW ON THE BEAR HOUSE
![RENDER OF THE VISITOR CENTRE](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/5bb2f67e-149e-49cc-b935-d10a0426e61d_rw_1920.jpg?h=28d069e4e1c03262a171ee4e62b931fd)
RENDER OF THE VISITOR CENTRE
![RENDER OF THE VISITOR CENTRE](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/83d49a3f-5743-4c38-9682-8380556f107a/d2f357df-29d4-4f6e-ab98-6e505328596b_rw_1920.jpg?h=9287dffdd7b36ebdde253f0f5c0c581f)